“Women in Hinduism” – Part II
*** GUEST POST by Sh RAJU MALIGER ***
In my previous article (pl. see A rebuttal to Abul Kasem – “Women in Hinduism” by R Maliger), I had refuted Abul Kasem’s derogatory views on women in Vedic culture. In this article, I would like to emphasize on how Vedas glorify Mother Goddess and women.
When we enter Hindu temples, it is a blissful scene to observe a female deity worshipped alongside a male deity. Common examples of such deities are Vishnu-Lakshmi, Radha-Krishna, and Shiva-Parvati. Vedas consider male and female of all forms of life as the inseparable wheels of a cart. In the last 2000 years, two Semitic religions have destroyed innumerable civilizations, religions, and cultures that worshipped nature and Mother Goddess. Hinduism is the last of such religions that has survived the test of time despite facing vociferous attacks from such cults. From time immemorial, Mother Goddess has been worshipped as Shakti (power) and Annapurna (provider of food). Gayatri Devi, who is revered as the MOTHER of all Vedas, is worshipped in four forms: (1) Satyavati (2) Angavati (3) Anyavati (4) Nidhanavati. It is a well known fact that most of the Indian rivers bear feminine names. Some of the common examples are Ganga, Yamuna, Sindhu, Saraswati, Godavari, Kaveri, Tapati, Tungabhadra, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Payaswini, and Narmada. If Vedas were to denigrate women, then there shouldn’t have been verses praising them. Let us examine how the core of Vedic scriptures describes Mother Goddess, women, and family life.
Mother Goddess and nature: There is common Vedic saying- Matru devo bhava, which means ‘Treat your mother as God’. The earth is affectionately referred to as Mother Goddess in Yajur Veda1 and eulogized for bearing all types of mortal creatures.2 She is revered for bestowing health and wealth to mankind.3
The Goddesses of the Vedas are regarded as the immortals that nourish mankind with all needs.4 In Rig Veda5, dawn (Usha) is revered as the Mother of Gods that bestows boons to succeed in life. She is affectionately praised as the Heaven’s daughter, who is arrayed in garments of light.6 She is the birth-place for morning,7 the one who awakens every living creature,8 the Lady of all earthly treasures,9 one who is auspicious and the source of pleasant voices,10 and the Goddess that shines upon men who perform sacred duties.11 In Hinduism, even though all the rituals are performed in the presence of Agni (fire), the purest of all, yet Vedic sages place Agni as a child on the lap of Goddess Aditi12 since the latter causes Agni to kindle.13 Further, it is stated: “Agni is the deity, Goddess Gayatri the metre, and the worshipper the vessel of the silent offering.”14 Indra is considered to be the Chief of all the Gods in the scriptures. However, Vedas declare that Goddess Saraswati, along with Ashwins bestowed Indra with brilliant light and power, and planted wisdom in his heart.15-16 In fact, Goddess Aditi is considered to be the beloved of all Gods.17 At every home of Hindus, while performing any homa (prayer) ceremony, Goddess Saraswati is invoked to bless the family with knowledge, strength, and effectual speech.18 Goddess Lakshmi is the bestower of fortune and wealth to mankind19-20 and is capable of driving away poverty and hostility.21 She is regarded as the power that drives away hatred22 and the one who provides boons and happiness.23 Therefore, in Shukla Yajur Veda Ida, Saraswati, and Bharati—the three Goddesses—are glorified with Vedic hymns.24
A mantra in Atharva Veda refers to earth (Bhûmi) as the Mother of all creatures.25 Further, an environmentalist’s vision is echoed in a heartfelt manner: “Let what I dig from thee, O Earth, rapidly spring and grow again. O Purifier, let me not pierce through your vitals or your heart.”26 This should serve as a warning to mankind which is currently involved in digging earth to extract vast petroleum resources, thereby polluting the environment and causing global warming. The 2006 UN Report on global warming states: “raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes in the world combined. Livestock sector is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide and the single largest source of both methane and nitrous oxide emissions.” Respecting such facts, knowingly or unknowingly, no meat is served as feast in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples across the world. Vedic scriptures advise everyone to avoid the consumption of meat. To remain in the mode of goodness it is essential to be compassionate towards animals. To confirm these facts, Sri Krishna declares in Bhagavad Gita27: “If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”
Women, men, and family life
There are innumerable verses in the Vedas supporting and glorifying family life. Manusmriti declares: “Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-in-law, who desire welfare and prosperity. Wherever women are honored there Gods rejoice; but where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards.”28 True to this, every Hindu wedding, ceremony, and ritual is associated with honoring women with gifts and praises.
Vedas strictly recommend a marriage ceremony before beginning the journey as husband and wife. There are many poetic and knowledgeable verses to confirm this. At the time of wedding, the groom addresses the bride affectionately: “Sweet are the glances of our eyes, our faces are as smooth as balm, within your bosom harbor me; one spirit dwells in both of us.”29 In a loving response, the bride says to the groom: “I envelop you with this robe, which was inherited from Manu, so that you may be mine alone, and never admire another one.”30 It is still a common practice in Hindu marriages to join the hands of bride and groom through a robe before they circumambulate the Yajna kunda (ritual place). After marriage, they are blessed to lead a happy married life. Home, the place where every family dwells, is associated with divinity and is addressed beautifully in Atharva Veda: “O Queen of the home, my sheltering and kindly Goddess, you were created by the Gods in the beginning. Clad in thy robe of grass be friendly-minded, and give us wealth with great heroes and facilities.”31
It may so happen that some men and women may not be able to find a suitable life partner for various reasons. For such people, Atharva Veda describes a helper that tries to address such problems. The helper, Aryama, is described as follows: “Here comes Aryama, with his locks of hair loosened over the brows, desiring to find a husband for this maiden, and a wife for an unwedded man.”32 It is still a common practice in India where a mediator talks to prospective bride and groom, and their families. Then, both bride and groom talk to each other and discuss about their likes, dislikes, and compatibility. When both the couple and families agree, a Vedic marriage ceremony is conducted to unite the two souls. The mediator is felicitated with gifts for initiating nuptial developments. Now-a-days, with the advent of internet, the mediator is replaced with match-making sites. However, this happens only in urban areas.
Once the marriage is over, how does the bride enter her husband’s home? Atharva Veda describes it poetically: “Just like the vigorous Sindhu river (feminine) herself winning the lordship of the stream, O woman become the imperial queen when you have come within your husband’s home, and through love bear control over your husband’s sisters, brothers, and mother.”33 It should be noted here that Ralph Griffith’s website incorrectly refers to Sindhu as a male. The husband then addresses to his wife: “O bride! I take your hand in mine for happy fortune that you may reach old age with me as a partner; Gods- Aryaman, Bhaga, Savitar, Purandhi- have given you as my household’s mistress. By rule and law you are my wife- the master of my house. Be it my care to cherish her. Brihaspati has made you mine. You live a hundred autumns with me and my sons.”34
The newly-married woman is then blessed to lead a long life in a verse from Atharva Veda: “Wake to long life, watchful and understanding, yea, to a life shall last a hundred autumns. Enter the house to be the household’s mistress. Let Savitar bless you with a long life.”35 For a happy married life, she is advised as follows: “Saying your prayer for cheerfulness, children, prosperity, and wealth, and devoted to your husband, gird yourself for immortality.”36 Now, it is the turn to bless both husband and wife for a blissful married life: “May you two, waking up in your pleasant chamber, both filled with laughter and cheer, and enjoying mightily, having good children, a good home, and good cattle, pass the shining mornings.”37 Atharva Veda imparts the knowledge for a successful married life: “Prepare, you twain, happy and prosperous fortune, speaking the truth in faithful utterances. Brihaspati makes her husband dear to her. Graceful be these words the wooer speaks.”38
Once the marital life begins how should be the relationship between husband and wife? The answer is expressed poetically in Atharva Veda, where the husband addresses his wife: “I am this man, you are the dame; I am the psalm and you the verse. I am the heaven and you the earth. So will we dwell together here, parents of children yet to be.”39 The next stage of the nuptial bond is procreation and is addressed beautifully in a verse from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: He embraces her saying, “I am the vital force, and you are the speech; I am Saama, and you are Rig; I am heaven, and you are the earth.”40 In Vedic scriptures, Saama Veda represents the ecstasy of spiritual knowledge and the power of devotion. In fact, Sri Krishna declares in Gita “Of the Vedas I am Saama-veda.”41 If Rig Veda is the word, then Saama Veda is the song or the meaning. Rig Veda is the knowledge, and Saama Veda is its realization. Finally, Rig Veda is the wife and Saama Veda is the husband.
As householders in a married life, what are the norms for Yajna ceremonies? Rig Veda clearly advises every husband to be accompanied by his wife during every Yajna ceremony.42 Further, it is declared that from time immemorial, the matron of the house attended the Yajna ceremony and then partook feast.43 If the husband is not interested in participating in such ceremonies, then wife should assume the lead role. Rig Veda confirms this: “Many-a-times woman is more firm and better than the man who shuns away from Gods and does not offer sacrifices (yajna).”44 Further, Atharva Veda states: “Let the man offer Vedic prayers in front of her, behind her, at your centre, and at her ends. By doing so, let God’s inviolable grace illuminate her home with good fortune and dignity.”45 Sayanacharya, the 14th Century Vedic scholar from India, comments on Rig Veda (5.61.8-9) that the wife and husband are equal halves of one substance. Therefore both should join and take equal parts in all religious and day-to-day work. Pious couples are recommended to pray to Goddess Gayatri to beget courageous children.46
Once children are born, the number of members in a family increases. Isn’t it essential to maintain a harmonious relationship amongst different members of the family? Here is a gem from Atharva Veda: “Let the son be loyal to his father and of one mind with his mother. Let the wife speak to her husband words that are sweet like honey and gentle. Let not a brother hate his brother, nor a sister hate her sister. Unanimous, united in aims, speak your words with friendliness.”47 Further, Manusmriti emphasizes on honoring female relations in a society. It declares “The houses, in which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic. Hence, men who seek their own welfare should always honor women on holidays and festivals with ornaments, clothes, and food.”48
Agriculture is the backbone of any civilization, and Vedic civilization is not an exception but a frontrunner. The Vedas fully support an agrarian lifestyle to promote self-sustainability and green revolution. Here is an extraordinary verse from Atharva Veda that promotes such a healthy lifestyle: “This woman utters prayers, as she throws the husks of corn: Long live my husband, may he live a hundred years.”49
Conclusion: Honoring every living being, promoting knowledge and healthy lifestyle, and finally attaining salvation through yoga is the essence of the Vedas. Live and let others live through mutual understanding and respect is the slogan of Hinduism. Vedas do not ridicule the followers of other faiths by classifying them as heathens, pagans, idol worshippers, kaffirs, and hellfire-fit candidates. In fact, Vedas declare: “Let knowledge come from all sides, and that truth is one, but wise call it by many names.” However, in this quarrelsome age, we find many charlatans from Semitic religions twisting the verses from Vedas to portray them in an unpleasant manner to harvest the souls of the gullible people. Therefore, it is highly essential to critically analyze the verses from the Vedas to avoid being cheated by such degraded people.
References
1. Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 4.1.9
2. Atharva Veda 12.1.15
3. Saama Veda 4.1.5.2
4. Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 5.1.11
5. Rig Veda 1.113.19
6. Rig Veda 1.124.3
7. Rig Veda 1.113.1
8. Rig Veda 1.113.4
9. Rig Veda 1.113.7
10. Rig Veda 1.113.12
11. Rig Veda 1.113.18
12. Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 1.5.3
13. Rig Veda 1.113.9
14. Yajurveda Taittiriya Samhita 3.1.6
15. Shukla Yajur Veda 21.53
16. Sama Veda 1.2.4.10 & 4.1.16.1-3
17. Shukla Yajur Veda 11.61
18. Yajur Veda Taittareya Samhita 1.8.22
19. Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 3.3.11
20. Saama Veda 4.1.5.2
21. Yajur Veda Taittiriya Samhita 4.6.3 & 5.4.6
22. Rig Veda 4.52.4
23. Shukla Yajur Veda 28.15
24. Shukla Yajur veda 27.19
25. Atharva Veda 12.1.63
26. Atharva Veda 12.1.35
27. Bhagavad Gita 9.26
28. Manusmriti 3.55-56
29. Atharva Veda 7.36.1
30. Atharva Veda 7.37.1
31. Atharva Veda 3.12.5
32. Atharva Veda 6.60.1
33. Atharva Veda 14.1.43-44
34. Atharva veda 14.1.50-52
35. Atharva Veda 14.2.75
36. Atharva Veda 14.1.42
37. Atharva Veda 14.2.43
38. Atharva Veda 14.1.30-31
39. Atharva Veda 14.2.71
40. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6.4.20
41. Bhagavad Gita 10.22
42. Rig Veda 3.53.4
43. Rig Veda 10.86.10
44. Rig Veda 5.61.6
45. Atharva Veda 14.1.64
46. Shukla Yajur Veda 4.23
47. Atharva Veda 3.30.2-3
48. Manusmriti 58-60
49. Atharva Veda 14.2.63
*** End ***
Related Posts:
A rebuttal to Abul Kasem – “Women in Hinduism” by R Maliger
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*** COMMENT EDITED ***
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Assuming I may have missed reading this point in above post, like to add- before we enter any home for residing in it, young girls keeps the “Kalas”(not Homa). And those who has boys will ask their families and friends to bring their young daughters for placing kalash.
So one can say boys are discriminated in hinduism not girls or woman.
> idol worshippers
I would like to highlight this “idol” misnomer. True equivalent is “murti”. Like the other day someone said “Bhagwaan’ instead of “Lord”. “Sewa” instead of “Charity”. We need to get our vocabulary right. Since we Hindus generally say idols the Christists use their dogmatic logic to prey on us – converting the idolators. Here is a nice article on this topic, may be you can turn this into a blog post.
http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/102.htm
*** NOTE by MODERATOR ***
Kiran: The article you refer is already on this blog: Excerpts from “Word as a Weapon”.
Thanks
“…it is a blissful scene to observe a female deity worshipped alongside a male deity. Common examples of such deities are Vishnu-Lakshmi, Radha-Krishna, and Shiva-Parvati. Vedas consider male and female of all forms of life as the inseparable wheels of a cart. In the last 2000 years, two Semitic religions have destroyed innumerable civilizations, religions, and cultures that worshipped nature and Mother Goddess…”
Very true.
In fact, in following the footsteps of the westerner, indians have abandoned their ancient indian culture that considered all women other than one’s wife as mother.
Such a concept is alien to indian society today.
The extent to which this tendancy to ape westerners have gone is demonstrated by the recent incident when a woman minister of cabinet exhorted women to ‘pub-bharo’.
Ancient indians gave equal status to women and men alike as demonstrated in the veneration of Shiva in ‘Ardhanareeswara’ form.
Shiva is also revered as the Linga resting on Yoni, illustrating the concept of oneness of opposites.
Brahmav, the creator is respected along with Saraswati- the knowledge that facilitates creation.
Vishnu the sustainer is respected along with Lakshmi- the wealth that is necessary for sustaining creation.
Shiva the destroyer of creation is likewise respected along with Parvati, the single minded devotion to achieving Shiva consciousness.
By contrast, the western world view characterised by christianity, islam, and communism looks at women as subservient to man.
While India had a woman prime minister, though due to dynastic effect, within 19 years of its independence from britain, Britain had its first woman prime minister 13 years after India.
America is yet to have a woman president.
Soviet Union never had one.
Communist China hasn’t either.
While various states of Indian Union has had women CMs, Kerala and West Bengal, the ones with maximum communist presence never had one.
Indian culture has number of spiritual leaders which includes many women, Mata Amritanandamayi being a recent example.
Christianity on the other hand never had a woman pope. In fact, the fate of Joan of Arc is sadly demonstrative of the attitude of Christianity towards women.
Islam is even worse in its treatment of women.
Capitalism and materialism are other western world views that treat women as objects.
Women are encouraged to consider themselves as objects and indulge in dressing up like that so that whole lot of make-up products and ‘designer’ dresses can be sold to them. Concurrently such women are also made to consider visting pubs as being modern and ‘forward’. The recent underwear campaign publicised by ToI and other ELM is demonstrative of that.
It is educative to consider what Indians want to learn from what has been demonstrated by the western world views and indigenous indian world view and which one the Indians want to adopt.
Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
Interesting post. One must admire gving money and knowledge both feminine allocations. The moral is that you have to respect both and act with prudence,when you handle money and knowledge. Just see the present way , the banks handled money, it led to financial crisis. Knowledge also if not handled well, then can lead to all sorts of problems. Vinasha kal , veepareetha buddhi says Gita. How true. When you think feminine , you think twice and are very careful. Vedic seers were right on this.
Ralph Griffith , one must forget those translations. There should be a new start to Sanskrit study and interpretation.
There is a web site http://www.dharmacentral.com in which there is an article on The Shakti Principle . Please read it . Read “Word as a Weapon also”. Both are excellent articles.
Hare Krishna. More later.
http://www.adishakti.org/pdf_files/concept_of_shakti_(dharmacentral.com).pdf
http://www.vinfoindia.com/articles/hindusim_for_women.htm
article in both one a pdf another a html
Brilliant, incisive coming from a great scholar.
Hare Krishna
The pdf link is a problem. Read html article of the above post.
Hare Krishna
@ Krishnadas
The link given at comment 6 above seems to be an abridged version of Dr Frank Morales article The Concept of Shakti:
Hinduism as a Liberating Force for Women
available at Dharmacentral website mentioned at comment 5.
The abridged version seems to miss out certain important ideas available in the Dharmacentral article.
intresting post
Interesting discussion. Today, the roles of women in Hindu society are changing, as they are throughout the world. Increasingly, the life pattern of females resembles the stages of life for males.
Came across this article on GlobalPost: In India, Love Hurts…which had these lines in the second paragraph:
I have left the following comment (not yet approved) on the site:
Contracts of servitude? My wife did not sign such a contract. My mother did not. My grand mother did not. All three of them had careers and were equals in the family. Also we follow a matrilineal system in which the mother is more powerful than the father.
…India is a complex country. You drive a hundred kilometers and the customs and traditions change. If you pick the customs of even a few states and say that it is an Indian tradition, it would be incorrect. The correct way is to say, in such and such region, this custom is there, but in states like Kerala and West Bengal it is different. This would be fair and balanced.
*** NOTE by B Shantanu ***
These comments have been extracted from an email exchange with “Varnam”
Shantanu,
Am quite surprised that you actually considered this article worth publishing on your blog. I found the author thoroughly confused (correct me if I am wrong). Does he want to say that the divorce rate in India/Hindus(?) is increasing because:
- Women are getting educated and hence have become less tolerant
- Women and their families are abusing the anti-dowry laws to get out of an incompatible marriage
- People have become more romantic and don’t want to stay with the partners their parents found for them.
- Wife’s mother is the major reason for breaking of Indian marriages!!! (ha..he must be joking)
Or there is something fundamentally wrong in our marriages which doesn’t work in the “modern” context?
I just have to say that even in the modern context Hindu/Indian marriages work better than marriages in any other society in the world. Exceptions are always there…
Thanks,
@ Anon: It would be helpful to leave this comment on GlobalPost. That is where the article is posted (not on this blog): http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/india/090413/india-love-hurts
I know JK has already written to the GlobalPost folks
Thanks Shantanu…
I should have done that in the first place. Your site seems to be copy-protected and I can’t life text from here. Will try some other time.
Thanks,
Thanks for emailing me the contents. I have placed them at GlobalPost now.
Feel free to delete it from your blog.
Thanks once again.
Namaste to all! Thanks for all the comments. I was on holidays in India from April 10 – May 3. If you have any comments/clarification, please contact me at r.maliger@gmail.com
First off, hats of to Mr. Maliger for exposing the attempts to slander Sanatana Dharma! But I have a few questions…
If women were so respected, why then does the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad say the following:
If she does not willingly yield her body to him, he should buy her with presents. If she is still unyielding, he should strike her with a stick or with his hand and overcome her, repeating the following mantra:
“With power and glory I take away your glory.”
Thus she becomes discredited.
As shown here: http://www.gayathrimanthra.com/contents/documents/Vedic-related/brihadaranyaka_upanishad.pdf
Also, if the Ashwamedha Yagna was corrupted by the Indologists, why then does this picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asvamedha_ramayana.JPG
which predates the British Raj, depict a queen killing the horse?
And why does this coin from Samadragupta I’s reign (also predating the British Raj) depict both the queen and the horse?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ashvacoin.jpg
And why do the Mahabharata and Ramayana contain mention of queens like Kausalya and Draupadi participating in the rite? For more information, see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashvamedha
Is that also Indologist corruption? Could someone please post the correct version of the Ashwamedha Yagna? Thanks!
Share your thoughts below.
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